


Linked Pendulums (Vrains Remix)

by PhoenixstarKina



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Also I need a Yusaku/Skye/Gore/Jin friendship, And Emma is Mom of the Year, And being the best damn dad ever, Autistic Jin, Autistic Yusaku, Because why didn't he master Pendulum summoning? He mastered everything else, But then it turned into a 20 page rewrite of season 1, F/M, Gen, M/M, Mild Arc V AU, Multi, Other, There is minimal hurt and major comfort in this fic, This started out as just Kusanagi finding out his adopted child is autistic, Vrains rewrite, Wait until Kengo joins this family tho, Which is being continued and the tags will be updated when it is continued, Yusaku has a new deck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22256410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixstarKina/pseuds/PhoenixstarKina
Summary: You know what Yusaku needs?Pendulum deck.You know what that thought led to?Rewriting Vrains. With an autistic Main Character!
Relationships: Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku, Ai/Fujiki Yuusaku/Kusanagi Jin, Ai/Lightning/Fujiki Yusaku/Kusanagi Jin, Bessho Ema/Kusanagi Shouichi, Fujiki Yuusaku & Kusanagi Shouichi, Fujiki Yuusaku/Kusanagi Jin, Kusanagi Jin/Lightning, The friendship/family between them is strong in this one
Comments: 19
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "This is just complete fluff. I wanted to write fluff, but also, autistic Yusaku."  
> *20 pages later*  
> "This is a complete rewrite of Vrains featuring an autistic Yusaku and Jin who kick the Hanoi's ass."
> 
> AKA: Yusaku mastered every other type of summoning, why not Pendulum.
> 
> Everything’s taken from personal experiences, in both Yusaku’s case and Kolter’s. To repeat, Everything Is Taken From Personal Experience.  
> Warning: Yusaku uses the r-word because Faust was a douche and used to use that word against him.

“Kiddo, how many days of school have you missed this month?”

Yusaku knew the question would come up at some point. Four months of working together with Kolter (and two of Kolter being his legal guardian, technically he had adopted him) and Yusaku had come to the truck around noon quite a few days out of the week. Even though Kolter was- legally- his father now, moving in had been impossible with Kolter’s apartment being too small for even one person most days, and Yusaku…

Was still hesitant about any huge change. Partnering up with Kolter had been enough anxiety to last him a year, having to get to know another person, needing to get used to working together with someone, Yusaku had taken a few days away from everyone except Kolter to get used to it.

“…Not that many.” Yusaku finally replied.

“Yusaku. This is your thirteenth day in a _month_ that you’ve been here just after noon.” Kolter pointed out. “You’re missing a lot of school. I know we’ve been putting off talking to them about the change of guardianship because we’re both busy, but if you’re having trouble…”

Yusaku shook his head. “I’m not.” He said, looking down at the floor of the truck. He didn’t mind staying in the truck most days, hiding away from the people out in the square.

It was so much easier to handle crowds in Vrains, where he could hide himself and focus on finding the Hanoi. Any fidgeting could be passed off as simple glitches. Unlike in the real world, where he couldn’t hide the leg bouncing he typically did, or biting the inside of his cheek. Half the time he didn’t even realize he was doing either unless it was commented on. Kolter had only commented on it once before, reassuring Yusaku he didn’t mind it right after. So Yusaku hadn’t stopped the small habits.

But it was starting to get overwhelming. All the work without a good break, having to still go to school as well, what school he did, anyway. On top of tracking down the Hanoi. But they had to do it. He needed to get revenge for the Incident that made his life hell, that made Jin’s life hell.

“I… don’t go to school after lunch most days.” Yusaku admitted. “I only go for four hours, unless I have to do testing after lunch.”

It was something the school offered, partially out of pity after hearing he had been one of the six children rescued from the Lost Incident eight years ago. The rest of their willingness came from a program set up through the school. He was able to prove he was above a high school level in Language, Computer Sciences, and Math. So he would only take periodic tests on those subjects, and any major exams were taken after lunch most times, in a smaller classroom under the watchful gaze of his guidance councilor.

“Huh? The school offers that program?” Kolter hummed softly. Yusaku could tell he was thinking over something, and took a deep breath, waiting for the next question to be asked.

It always was when adults found out about his schooling. _What’s wrong with you? Are you disabled? Are they all remedial classes?_ He knew Kolter wouldn’t ask them out of malice like some did, and he would probably word them better. But then he’d get that _look_. The look of pity or wariness or like he was something to be studied. It happened every time. And it would happen again, just when he thought he had someone he could trust, a friend, maybe even _family_ and-

“Is it working out for you?”

Yusaku’s thoughts paused. “…huh?”

“Going for four hours a day. Is it working? I’m your guardian, Yusaku. If it isn’t working out, like you need to go for fewer or think you can try handling more, we could go talk to your guidance councilor about it.” Kolter pointed out, turning off the grill once he saw the time. It was finally time to close up, which typically meant getting to work in Vrains. But he stopped Yusaku from turning to turn on the monitors.

“It… it’s fine.” He was stunned, blinking at Kolter. “You don’t think it’s weird?”

_You don’t think I’m weird?_

“Nah. I- Okay, this might sound bad. But I had a feeling something was up.” Kolter admitted with a shrug, shutting the truck up and taking off his apron. “Some things you do. Well, they remind me of Jin. But I didn’t want to make assumptions! And it would’ve been rude for me to just up and ask. I figured you’d tell me if and when you wanted to.” He smiled, sitting down in the chair next to Yusaku’s.

“I just didn’t want you missing too much school. That’s sorta important. Even I graduated before I started trying to track down the Hanoi. I’m not gonna let you drop out for this.” He chuckled.

Yusaku stared down at the floor again. “I’m autistic.” He blurted out. “That’s why I’m on the shortened schedule days. I go to normal classes, but I tested out of a few subjects so I have the credits in them to graduate already. And that’s why I fidget and don’t speak much… and a few other things…”

He trembled slightly, ready to bolt out of the truck. But curiosity kept him in his seat as he slowly looked up, blinking when he saw Kolter looking at him.

He didn’t see pity, well, not much of it. Just the typical amount that Kolter always seemed to have for him that Yusaku didn’t mind. There was understanding there too, which confused Yusaku. “Y-You…”

“Jin is too.” Kolter said in explanation. “Our parents didn’t know how to handle it after he came back from the Lost Incident. So I took on everything myself. They paid for the hospital at least, along with the hush money from SOL Tech all of the victims got on the DL. But I wasn’t gonna abandon Jin just because everyone thinks autism is why he refuses to respond most of the time now.”

“I decided to learn more and figure out how to best help him out. Figured out the best way to learn though was from Jin himself. See what he liked and didn’t like, what helped him, I found out really quick that he likes to watch birds. So sometimes we’d just spend visiting hours watching bird videos on my phone.” Kolter rambled on. “But I mean… I ain’t gonna judge you for any of this, okay buddy?”

“You get it.” Yusaku breathed out, hands trembling.

Kolter smiled softly. “Yeah. Well, not _all_ of it. You and Jin are two different, separate people! Just means I get to learn all over again. And I don’t mind that one bit.”

“So. Guess this means I should get started on all that parent stuff, yeah?” His smile turned into a grin as he laughed, and Yusaku couldn’t help but smiling slightly as well. “Things seem calm in Vrains. Let’s talk about school and stuff tonight. You look like you could use a break anyway.”

* * *

The café truck felt more safe after talking with Kolter. It still took a few months for Yusaku to consider himself actually comfortable there, to feel alright taking a nap at the table or on the cot Kolter kept there. To finally accept the offer of food when customers were around.

To sit outside during some of the lower traffic times. He still stayed close to the truck, a chair put next to the open area, against the side of the truck. Where Kolter could see him easily and Yusaku could hear everything going on inside.

He even was able to stay on one of the bad days. Curled up on the cot and shivering slightly. It was out of sight unless someone looked inside the open side of the truck by putting their head in. Close to Kolter, close to safety. Yusaku hadn’t gone to school that day. But he didn’t want to stay alone, and there was only so much Roboppi could do for him.

Like call Kolter. He was grateful he programmed that feature into them now. Sometimes the PTSD was too much for Yusaku to handle alone. So after a while, he added in a feature for Roboppi- at their request, which had shocked him- to call Kolter. His phone being the only number they knew. And Roboppi had called him that day.

It took him only 20 minutes to get there. And Yusaku was reminded that Kolter was serious about helping him, about being his shield.

He didn’t want to talk, not saying a word as Kolter helped him lay down in the truck, wrapped up in a blanket. And it didn’t take long for Kolter to figure out just what Yusaku needed. An old show was playing on a tablet set up with him, catching Yusaku’s full attention. Even as his hands hurt with the phantom pains of electrocution. His head was pounding, waiting for the medicine to kick in and stop the pain.

Yusaku hated dueling. But… he loved seeing the tutorial duels one of the top Pendulum users did. Before the Master Rulings had changed to incorporate the newly found Link Summoning twelve years ago, Pendulums had been huge. They still were, since only Den City and all of Link Vrains used the newest rules. He knew others places still used the previous rules.

The torture they were put under used Link Summoning rules. There was just something about the old rules that Yusaku found he didn’t mind. Especially Pendulum. Maybe it was just how Yusho Sakaki performed in the videos. Or maybe it was how he got two kids, his son Yuya and his friend Yuzu, to help.

Yusaku had been five when he first saw the videos. He didn’t realize until he was eleven that he was the same age as Yuya and Yuzu. And that Pendulums weren’t all that common to use, even with the old rules. There were still new videos up though, done by Yuya and three new people. They were only fourteen now, but Yuya seemed to know what he was talking about. And Yuto always spoke about using Pendulums to XYZ summon, Yugo talked about Synchro, and Yuri did Fusion.

He always agreed with the jokes that Yugo should’ve done Fusion.

But Yusaku did wonder how Pendulums could help with Links, especially with his new Cyberse deck. But they hadn’t found any Cyberse cards that were anything but Link, Normal, or Effect Monsters. And spells and traps to go with them.

He wondered about it until a hand came to ruffle his hair. “Hey kiddo. Doin’ alright?” Kolter smiled, sitting down in the chair next to the cot. “Finally break time! You watching those videos on Pendulums again?”

Yusaku nodded, slowly moving to sit up. _‘I don’t mind Pendulum dueling. We never used Pendulums.’_ He signed quickly.

Yusaku learned sign language when he realized the combination of what was going on with him left him mute sometimes. But he still needed a way to converse with his therapist, and with his teachers, and with Roboppi too. And luckily, Kolter knew sign language from trying to teach it to Jin.

“Maybe we should look around for some Pendulum cards.” Kolter said, looking at the video. “You said you wanted to see my deck, what better way than to see it in action? We can do a duel using old rules?” He suggested. “Well, modified ones. No LP, so no winner or loser, we just go ‘til we’re out of cards. So you can play around with Pendulums, see if you wanna try using them with Link rules?”

Yusaku didn’t mind that. No one would win or lose, it would be with cards he hadn’t used in the Incident. Maybe… it could be fun.

Of course, Kolter looking at him proudly while Yusaku put together a new deck from the cards they had bought as he watched another episode of pendulum duels made it even better.

* * *

“Zefraath attacks your Codebreaker Zero Day. And that’s the end of the duel.”

Kolter grinned, leaning back in his chair where he sat across the table from Yusaku. “Man! That was rough.” He laughed. “Even if we used Link rules, I think you’d get the last attack! Maybe we should try a pendulum deck for you inside of Vrains.”

Yusaku shook his head. “I don’t want to use them there.” He looks down at his cards. Zefra was the archetype he decided to try, finding that he liked how the cards were played. They reminded him of the Cyberse type almost, he wondered if there were other Cyberse cards. Synchro, Fusion, maybe even XYZ or Ritual ones. He wasn’t sure if there would be Pendulum ones though.

“Fair enough. Keep them for just Yusaku, not Playmaker.” Kolter nodded in agreement.

It was a rare day. Kolter decided to take the day off from working, and Yusaku didn’t have school. So Yusaku took a rare chance, and it found the two of them sitting at the small, somewhat broken table in his run-down apartment. Roboppi was happy to finally meet Kolter, and his adopted father felt the same, watching Roboppi work happily to keep things as clean as possible.

“Roboppi’s really good for you. It’s nice to know you weren’t completely alone before.” Kolter said.

Yusaku nodded. “How’s Jin?” He asked, knowing yesterday had been a visitor’s day at the hospital.

“He’s doing better, a bit.” Kolter admitted. “You know… I was thinking. You’re family now, Yusaku. How about you come with next week to meet him?” He offered, looking over at Yusaku. “It wouldn’t be a long visit. I know you don’t like hospitals. This one’s different though. It’s more of a rehabilitation place, huge open courtyard right next to a lake, no white walls, food that isn’t cardboard that makes my hot dogs look like a five-star meal.” He joked, grinning when Yusaku gave him a faint smile.

“If the weather’s good, we could stay outside. And just for a half hour if you want. It would be outside of normal visiting hours, I can set it up to be just us and a nurse given that you and Jin both went through the Lost Incident.”

“And because we both can’t handle too much or we get overwhelmed?” Yusaku hummed. “…I want to, for three reasons.”

“One, I want to meet Jin. He’s your brother, and he went through the Lost Incident like I did. I don’t know any of the other children who did, so I want to meet him. Two, you did say I should try socializing more within a comfort zone. And as you said, Jin’s family. Three, it’s in a controlled environment, so… it would be safe.”

Kolter grinned. “That’s right. It’ll be completely safe. I’m gonna stay with you guys the whole time. I’ll set it up for next Thursday.”

Next Thursday felt too far away, yet too close at the same time. Yusaku was nervous. He managed to stay calm about it though. It was just Jin, who Kolter talked about all the time. Kolter’s little brother, who went through the same Incident as Yusaku, who was trying to heal from it, but having a harder time. Jin, who was a lot like Yusaku in a lot of ways.

The hospital had agreed to different visiting hours for them. A time slot of one hour had been given but Kolter reassured him they didn’t have to stay the full hour if Yusaku or Jin couldn’t handle it.

But once Thursday came, once Yusaku met Jin, he had a small thought that one hour wasn’t going to be long enough.

Yusaku had been anxious when they first met Jin in the courtyard, until Kolter asked the nurse to give them some space. He said she was the nurse that was usually with Jin, and she readily agreed to stay back while they sat under one of the large oak trees.

“How is he doing?” Kolter asked her.

“Well, ever since you told him you were bringing Yusaku to meet him, I think he’s been responding more.” The nurse admitted. “Maybe that’s what he needed, another victim of the Lost Incident to talk to. It may be easier for him, since…”

“Yusaku knows what he went through.” Kolter nodded. “Yeah, I was a bit worried at first, given other things going on. But,” he looked out towards the tree again.

Yusaku and Jin sat close together, holding each other’s hand tightly. Yusaku’s tablet was on his lap, playing what Kolter assumed was another Pendulum video. Jin seemed to be just as interested in it as Yusaku was, laying his head on Yusaku’s shoulder as they watched the show. “I think I was worried for nothing.” Kolter chuckled.

Yusaku felt completely relaxed, sitting under the tree in the courtyard with Jin. Once Jin knew who Yusaku was, it was like they had just clicked together, like lines of code that could work together and build off of each other. They didn’t talk much, and Yusaku wondered if the Pendulum videos could help Jin too.

They seemed to be working. The two of them content to stay there, eyes glued to the screen. But Yusaku had more to tell Jin. He had to tell him.

“I’m going to stop the people who caused this.” He whispered. “The Knights of Hanoi. They know about the Incident. I’m going to get revenge, for both of us.”

A one hour visit turned into a three hour visit. None of the doctors or nurses had it in them to separate the two when they had fallen asleep together back inside Jin’s room. Curled up together and still tightly holding each other’s hand.

“So, should we start talking about Jin getting released?” Kolter said, only half-jokingly.

* * *

It was a year before things changed again, and Yusaku wasn’t sure what to make of it.

He was doing better. Still not connecting to others well, but the anxiety felt far more manageable when he was sixteen. He felt calmer, more focused.

His therapist was happy with the improvements he was showing. But he was still on a firm schedule. Only four hours of school, getting sent home right after lunch. Which usually meant going to work at Café Nagi. Until the Hanoi began attacking more often. They were looking for something, what that something was, Yusaku didn’t know.

Until a strange code appeared one day in Vrains. They were searching for something called an Ignis. And unless Yusaku was reading things wrong, they had just found something containing what read off as an Ignis Algorithm. At least, that’s what Yusaku could read from it.

“Have you seen this code before? Because it looks like a jumbled mess to me.” Kolter admitted, setting down two cups of coffee on the table.

“I haven’t.” Yusaku shook his head. “But it looks like the Ignis it belongs to is in trouble. And if the Hanoi want it… then we may be able to use that.”

Four hours later, and Yusaku’s duel disk became home to an Ignis named Ai.

Yusaku regretted his decision to ever capture it four hours and five minutes after deciding to capture it.

“You named it Ai because it’s an AI… and it’s an eyeball.” Kolter snorted.

“’It’ is a ‘he’ I’ll have you know!” Ai protested. “I got a name, it’s-“

Yusaku winced at the static noise, and hid his shock at the fact he could _understand_ what Ai was saying.

“Dude, none of us can pronounce that.” Kolter said, uncovering his ears. “So let’s just stick with Ai, okay?”

Except Ai was in Yusaku’s duel disk which meant he had only one place to go.

“Oof, you live _here_? The streets in Vrains look better.” Ai commented, looking around Yusaku’s apartment, what parts of it he could see from the duel disk.

“I just cleaned the apartment for master. But why does master have a duel AI in his duel disk?” Roboppi asked as Yusaku lifted them up to the bed. Roboppi didn’t like being up high, but to be on the bed meant that it was probably bed time, and Yusaku didn’t want to be alone. “Did Kolter get one for you?”

“No, he’s an Ignis.” Yusaku explained. “What the Hanoi were after. Roboppi, could you fill him in on a few things while I go take a shower?”

He grabbed a set of nightclothes, heading into the small bathroom with a weary sigh. It was a common argument he had with himself still, shower time. It was just too much effort, even though it seemed so simple. Turn on the water, let it heat up while getting undressed, get in, wash off, turn off the water, dry off and get dressed. Except Yusaku hated being undressed. The medication helped with that anxiety, he could at least wear shorter sleeves now. But it didn’t completely get rid of his gymnophobia.

Thankfully, it was easier than usual. Maybe because of the voices he could hear in the main room of his apartment.

“Dumb is a forbidden word.” Roboppi said to Ai. “And master has things how he wants them.”

“What, is he stupid then?”

Yusaku didn’t flinch, even though he wanted to. Of course an AI- who wasn’t Roboppi- wouldn’t understand.

“Stupid is forbidden too!” He had never heard Roboppi raise their voice before then. “Master is not stupid. Master has been through a lot and has a lot on his mind. Things a thing like you do not need to know. You are just a hostage. Not master’s family.”

Maybe the few upgrades he had done to Roboppi were advancing quicker than he hoped, if they were able to convey that much sass with a voice that was still fairly monotone and static-filled.

“I don’t _want_ to be his family. I- well I’m not sure, but maybe I have my own family so there!” Ai looked away from Roboppi, glaring at the wall. “And you call _this_ clean?”

“That’s enough.” Yusaku said, coming out of the bathroom. Dressed in a pair of dark blue pajamas with a towel covering his hair still. “If you two are just going to argue, I’ll turn you both off for the night.”

As it was, he knew Roboppi needed charging. He grabbed the longer cable he had, making sure it was plugged into his computer before plugging Roboppi in. “No poker.” He warned them.

“Oh? Is that one really advanced enough to do something like that?” Ai couldn’t hide the impressed tone in his voice as he looked back at the small robot.

“Master has upgraded my systems to give me some freedom.” Roboppi explained, showing off a happy face on their screen when Yusaku laid down, tucking them into the covers as well.

“What about me!? Don’t I get tucked in?” Ai protested, going quiet when Yusaku moved his duel disk to sit between him and Roboppi.

“You’re only here for tonight. I’ll have a disk holder ready by tomorrow night.” Yusaku warned. “But I’m keeping you here tonight for three reasons. One, Roboppi gives of a jamming signal so anything close to them becomes untraceable. Two, it’s easier to keep an eye on you when you’re close.”

“Aww, that almost sounds sweet.”

“Three, I want to make sure you don’t damage my duel disk by doing something reckless and stupid.”

“Until you remind me that my first impression was correct. You’re really just an icy bitch.”

Yusaku said no more on the subject, reaching up to turn off the lights with the switch over his bed, closing his eyes to try and sleep soon after. He must have fallen asleep, since the next thing Yusaku realized, he was waking up with a sharp gasp of pain, eyes flying open just to shut tightly as he waited for the pain behind his eyes to pass.

And for the world to stop look like likes of code and data. It _burned_ , as if the world was merging with Vrains itself, and he could _see_ it.

“So, you do have Link Sense.”

“W-wha…” Yusaku couldn’t speak, his throat closing around the words as panic gripped him.

“Link Sense- hey, Playmaker? Yusaku? You okay?”

Why did it have to happen then? Yusaku couldn’t speak, he could hardly hear Ai speaking to him, not recognizing the worried tone the Ignis seemed to take on the longer it took him to respond.

“Oi! Robot! Wake up! Don’t you got systems to deal with this?” Ai moved the duel disk, nudging Roboppi, who came out of sleep mode quickly.

“Master had a nightmare.” Roboppi explained, moving to push themselves up to wheel closer to Yusaku. “Don’t make so much noise. Noise is bad for the panic.”

“Panic?” It was the softest Yusaku ever heard the Ignis speak yet. “So those medical files I accessed were right?”

There was a dull humming noise coming from his duel disk before a familiar shape rose out of it. The larger form with six tentacles hovering over Yusaku.

He couldn’t stop the thought that Ai was _too familiar._ Not only that, he looked like the same monster that had guarded the map to the Cyberse cards. _Exactly_ like it. But panic kept Yusaku from reacting, the pain in his head leaving him paralyzed where he lay on his bed. He could feel the electricity again, hear his own screams, pleas for help, the words _you lose_.

But he couldn’t feel anything for long. Not when six long appendages wrapped around him. Then… they felt like he was touching rubber. Electricity didn’t affect rubber.

“Geeze. Figures I get stuck with an Origin who has issues.” Ai’s muttering made no sense to Yusaku, even as he began to calm down. “PTSD, gymnophopia, autism, anxiety, depression, stunted brain development from electrocution. The list goes on and on.”

“Starting to wonder who here is really the hostage.”

Yusaku was finally able to move, turning on his side and curling up, but not trying to escape. Ai was… warm. And a bit heavy, the weight was helping him calm down more, even if it did nothing to help him speak.

 _Stop talking about me._ He signed shakily. _Or I’m going to reprogram you and shove you into a vacuum instead of my duel disk._

“What? It isn’t like I’m making fun of you or something!” Ai protested. “Even getting over a panic attack you’re still such a bitch.”

Not much else was said. It wasn’t until the sun was out and Roboppi was calling Kolter at a far more reasonable hour than 2 AM that Yusaku realized Ai knew sign language. The Ignis, still wrapped around him sleepily- _did AI need sleep more than just a sleep mode?_ \- with limbs tangled around Yusaku and his head next to Yusaku’s hadn’t moved except to curl around his arms as well as the rest of him.

Yusaku had even been able to sleep after Ai did that.

Maybe… having a hostage wasn’t so bad. Even though it was clear he needed to update a few systems in his duel disk, if Ai was able to get out that easily.

* * *

“So why do I gotta stay behind today?”

Two months after catching Ai, and Yusaku didn’t want to wait to see Jin again any longer. Not only did Jin deserve to be updated on what was going on, he simply wanted to see him again.

“Gonna go visit a _girlfriend_?” Ai teased. “Boyfriend?” He amended, seeing the grimace Yusaku gave him. “Significant other who doesn’t like either word?”

“What does my non-existent relationship have to do with you?” Yusaku asked, slipping on a dark gray hoodie.

“Hey! We’re buds, aren’t we? Aren’t we? Oh come on Yusaku. _Ai_ know I’m your best friend!”

“Actually, I’m going to go visit my best friend.”

Ai gasped, pulling himself up from the duel disk. “Betrayal! Scandal! How could you do this to me! Keeping your other best friend from me. You are cheating on our friendship!” He put his hands over his chest. “Is it the Gore? Blue Angel? Come on, they both know about me!”

He squawked when Kolter flicked him back from where he was leaning closer and closer to Yusaku. “It’s my brother, you dolt.” Kolter chuckled. He had come to Yusaku’s place, deciding against letting Yusaku go to school then going to go visit Jin, knowing that Yusaku wouldn’t be able to concentrate. “Besides, there’s something important I need you to do today.”

“Is it find more Pendulum cards? Because let me tell you, Yusaku’s deck need some work.”

He found the Pedulum deck a month ago, surprised that Yusaku would actually have a working deck outside of Vrains. Even with Storm Access giving Yusaku more Cyberse cards, he never mentioned them at school or to that duel club he had joined to get close to Blue Angel.

Both he and Ai had been shocked when Skye had become a true friend to Yusaku, even coming to visit the hot dog truck from time to time. Even if during club hours, she still questioned why he used a pendulum deck with no Link monsters at all. But she didn’t treat him differently, even though Yusaku was sure she knew most of his secrets, outside of him being Playmaker.

He was careful to cover his tracks with that secret, even around friends. Including Skye and Gore, who was another unexpected- but not unwelcome- addition to Yusaku’s small friend group. He was patient, kind, and… probably knew exactly who Skye and Yusaku were. Though he said nothing about it, other than the fact that Skye’s older brother was trying to use him to hunt down Playmaker and the Ignis.

Really, things were going okay. Except that the Hanoi were stepping up their attacks. Yusaku was half tempted to take Ai up on the offer of trying to turn his Pendulum deck into one he could use with Link monsters, if only to see if that would make the duels go by quicker.

The visit with Jin though wasn’t just a friendly one, Yusaku remembered. They were getting closer to the leader of the Hanoi, Revolver, again, and Yusaku needed Jin’s help.

“Don’t see why I can’t meet Kid Kolter though.”

“Because he was part of the Lost Incident too.” Kolter explained. “And we aren’t stupid, Ai. The Hanoi want you, you’re part of the Incident too… and not a victim.”

“Who me? I wouldn’t know! I can’t remember squat about anything! I-“

“Cut the amnesia act.” Kolter didn’t look impressed. “Like I said, we aren’t stupid. You’re part of it. We figured that out even before Revolver said anything about you and Yusaku being connected. You knew about his Link Sense, and knew how to help Yusaku out of a panic attack. Which, thank you, by the way. Glad you at least stopped that little act to help him out.”

“…I may be an AI, but I’m not heartless.” Ai shrugged. “Alright. Yeah. Yusaku is my Origin, and I’m his Ignis. But I’m not acting when I say I don’t really know what that means. We’re connected, it’s ‘cause of that Incident. That’s all I got.”

“And that is why you’re staying here. We do not know what Jin remembers of the Incident yet.” Yusaku pointed out.

“Besides, I need you to tape a few new episodes of the Pendulum dueling show.” Kolter grinned. “Yusaku and Jin both love it.”

“Yeah yeah, tape the special interest show. I do that anyway!” Ai admitted. “I tape every episode and put it on Yusaku’s main computer.”

Maybe the admission of that was what made Yusaku act a bit more warmly towards Ai. Or it was the way Ai reacted when they returned from seeing Jin, _bringing Jin back with them._

“Him. It was him, it was him.” Jin was trembling, shaking as they looked at what pictures Gore managed to get from SOL Tech about the _leaders_ of the Knights of Hanoi. Revolver’s top commanders. He had sent the information while they were visiting, Yusaku and Jin talking about what they could remember.

The second the two saw the picture of a man who went by Doctor Genome, Kolter knew something was wrong. The hospital was finally allowing Jin to come with Kolter for short periods at a time, and he had signed him out quickly.

Ai was waiting for them in the truck, and seeing Genome, how Yusaku and Jin both reacted with fear towards him, he had simply acted. In his larger form, wrapped around the two almost protectively.

 _And Jin had relaxed into the embrace._ It was the first major clue into Jin’s time during the Lost Incident.

“His Ignis… might’ve been trying to _help_ him.” Ai laid his head on Yusaku’s trembling form, nuzzling him. “I don’t know who it could’ve been though. Except, it probably wasn’t Aqua. One girl was rescued, right? And Aqua’s the only girl out of all of us, so I think we can safely assume her Origin is the girl.”

He stayed wrapped around Yusaku and Jin, even when Gore and Skye joined them. Skye was shocked, learning that Yusaku was Playmaker, but she focused on the mission, seeing how much it was affecting her friend.

“So, when are we going to take them down?” She asked determinedly.

“I’ll go after that creep.” Gore decided. “I don’t know what he did. And I ain’t gonna ask when Yusaku and Jin clearly shouldn’t be remembering it or talking about it right now. But he’s going down hard for what he’s done.”

Yusaku stayed quiet, curled up with Jin, letting Ai hide them until it was time for Jin to go back.

Then, he was more focused. They were certain now, that three of Revolver’s followers were the three scientists from the Lost Incident. And Yusaku let himself be angry about it, pacing in the truck even after Skye and Gore left for the day. Ai watched him, and he could have sworn the monster was smirking at him.

“The Deleted must be because of Clarissa Turner.” Kolter said. “Blue Angel is in Vrains now, and she’s cornered Baira- Turner’s Vrains avatar.”

And while he and Kolter tried to corner her in the waking world, Blue Angel revealed new pieces of her deck. Ice Barriers, who made sure the doctor didn’t come out of Link Vrains. Yusaku was impressed at Skye’s handling of Synchro monsters, Kolter was surprised at it. Elsewhere, Akira watched with a mix of pride and worry, realizing that his sister was growing up.

“This, is for what you did to Playmaker and the others.” Blue Angel had murmured, the words unnoticed by all except those who were listening too closely.

And Akiza realized then, with a sense of dread, just where his sister’s loyalties were. And what it could mean for future encounters.

* * *

Two days after Baira was taken out, Gore finally had his chance to take out Genome, and he took the opportunity with the eagerness of a wrestler ready to reclaim their title.

Playmaker had come to watch. He _needed_ to watch, standing there as the two raced by. He didn’t miss the look of fear that crossed Genome’s face.

 _“You ignored our looks. Our cries, pleas for help that_ you _caused. You gave us no mercy, so why should I give you any?”_

He didn’t let those thoughts consume him. Ai wrapped around him, squeezing his wrist comfortingly in a smaller version of his monster form, keeping Yusaku grounded. He wanted revenge, but not at the cost of his own humanity. Hiding behind Playmaker, an avatar Yusaku could lock into looking a certain way if he wished, he trembled. For once, Yusaku didn’t fight the fear he felt in facing down someone who had made his life hell.

The duel was Gore’s to fight. And he showed even less mercy than Blue Angel had. Using fusion monsters with his usual Link monsters, beating down Genome and his talks of DNA, giving the public the best show he ever had as a disguise for how much he wanted to just forget the duel and beat the man to a pulp himself.

Only three people remained in the Hanoi hierarchy. Gore gave him a satisfied smirk when the duel finally ended.

And that smirk softened to a kind smile when Jin refused to stop hugging him when they came out of Vrains. He had seen the duel, watched it with Skye and Kolter. Yusaku smiled softly as well. Their revenge was finally happening.

Ai wrapped around him again. His Ignis wouldn’t let him fall into the darkness that could rise up from it. Keeping him in their own slice of darkness instead. Something warm and comforting, like hiding under a weighted blanket when lights were too much for him and Jin, wrapping around them both as they curled up on the cot, Kolter asleep at the table.

Their first kiss was a shy one, shared after Gore and Skye had left, wrapped up in the safety of too many limbs and an overly affectionate Ignis. Jin laughed when Ai nuzzled them, reaching up to pet his head and even pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth.

They knew it would probably confuse everyone else, it would lead to questions Yusaku was tried of hearing from strangers if anyone knew. So it was their secret. The only thing that changed was Ai being more affectionate around the others.

Faust fell a few days after Genome. He had taken Shima hostage. Yusaku didn’t _really_ care, at least, he didn’t feel as if he did. It had started as one of Ai’s misguided attempts at getting Yusaku to make more friends and spiraled out of control from there with Faust taking him hostage.

He tried to tell Yusaku they were sorry for the Incident. He tried to turn Yusaku against Ai, calling him a danger, something about the Ignis trying to destroy humanity. He tried to put all the blame on Dr. Kogami.

Yusaku knew Kogami was to blame, but he also knew Faust was not blameless. Flashes of a voice yelling at him, calling him stupid and worthless, wondering how someone _damaged_ could ever help their Project. Calling him words worse than stupid and worthless.

“I wonder how it feels, to lose to someone mentally retarded.” Playmaker retorted viciously, throwing the words right back at Faust. Words he heard so many times before from the man. Every time he would lose.

For once, Ai didn’t try to reign Yusaku in. Letting him attack Faust with everything he had. He looked proud when Faust disappeared. But as Yusaku calmed down, he began to think over what Faust had said.

They were dooming everyone? And that Ai was keeping secrets. No, it had to be nothing. Yusaku knew Ai was a product of the Lost Incident, that Ai was _his_ Ignis. Even though… they didn’t know exactly what that meant. Or what their connection was.

It was something for later though, as Playmaker logged out of Vrains and was wrapped immediately in a warm hug from his family, his faction.

There was no other word for them. It was them against the Hanoi. And he knew they could win, and get not only answers about the Lost Incident, but maybe, finally get revenge for it, and the ability to live in peace after it.

* * *

An unlikely ally joined them soon after.

“My info tells me something is going on down inside the sewers of Link Vrains. It’s way too risky for you to go, Yusaku.”

There was a warmth to Emma’s voice, one he heard so much before from Kolter whenever he spoke to Yusaku and Jin.

Ever since she had first come around before their duel, between Ghost Gal and Playmaker, Emma kept coming around. And Yusaku didn’t need to be a genius to figure out why she did. Not when she sat so close to Kolter, and the two kept sharing looks like that. Jin could see it too.

“They’re dating.” Jin whispered. “They must be.”

Yusaku… hadn’t liked that at first. He grew stubborn, trying to demand more of Kolter’s time. And Jin did the same.

It wasn’t the first time Kolter tried dating. The first woman had left as soon as she realized Kolter had an adopted son. The second one was ordered to leave by Kolter after she had said a few choice words about Yusaku. And the first man Kolter tried dating had been a disaster waiting to happen.

Yusaku told Jin about all of them, and the two agreed that anyone who tried to date Kolter had to pass their tests… which Emma _was passing_. It caught them both off-guard.

Every time Yusaku tried to take Kolter’s attention away from her, he ended up getting her attention as well. She _knew_. Emma knew even before Akira had blurted out everything about Playmaker’s history that he knew, including some of his medical history.

“Sweetheart, I have been to college.” Emma laughed. “I majored in computer sciences, but I have a psychology degree too. And I did some of my field studies at a specialty school. I just wasn’t going to say anything, even after Akira ran his mouth, because there was no reason for me to bring anything up. I know you sometimes need a lot of Kolter’s time, you and Jin both. But hey, if you ever need someone new to talk to, I’m here.”

But even though they were dating, Emma was still Ghost Gal, information gatherer for all sides. Though she tended to twist some of the information if it was anything to do with Playmaker. So to have her firmly on their side for once, was new.

“It doesn’t feel safe to let anyone else go. I know the sewer system though.” Emma said to the group.

Something was going on down there. Yusaku could feel it, like a pulsing in his head. His Link Sense, his connection to the network, had never felt more active. It was something dangerous, and something that might’ve held the answers he was looking for.

“I’m going.” Yusaku replied. “I have to go.”

It took some arguing, but finally, Emma agreed.

Only to send him on a false trail. One that was supposed to be safe, but led him straight to a monster. Running as fast as he could from it, trying to not slip and fall to his death.

Logging out was impossible in the sewers. Typically, a duel disk would force a logout if a person was falling too quickly, just before hitting the pavement or going below a certain depth in the network. But in the sewers, a fall from too high could easily force a person’s neck to snap from the jolt given in the world outside of the network. And slipping from the sewer walkway into the depths below would be just enough to cause that.

He didn’t expect the floor to give out from underneath him, sending him crashing one level lower, but landing safely, while the monster was trapped in the rubble.

“Ghost Girl!” Ai pointed towards a red gate, blocking them from reaching what Yusaku realized was the cause of his Sense going crazy, of all the data in Vrains being gathered near one central spot.

And in the large room, Emma was dueling Revolver.

She called an attack, only for a blinding white light to stop her, sending her crashing down on the platform in front of Playmaker.

“Emma!” Playmaker’s eyes widened as her Life Points dropped to Zero.

“Yusaku… Ai… Get, out of here.” Emma struggled to push herself up, looking at them worriedly. “Go! Revolver, he has mirr-“

He couldn’t hear what she said, not as her avatar turned red, and was absorbed by the large mass in the middle of the room. He could hardly hear Revolver gloating over his own scream.

Ai acted fast, logging Yusaku out with an emergency logout program. Yusaku trembled, falling out of the VR room, Kolter catching him quickly. “D-Dad… she…”

“I know. I know…” Kolter hugged Yusaku tightly.

It was a jarring reminder of just what they were up against. And the beginning of something even more terrible.

* * *

Their next reminder came in the form of Revolver’s second-in-command, Spectre. He was ruthless, sociopathic in his dueling and speech.

He cut down Blue Angel with no remorse while Yusaku was still shaken from the trauma of watching Emma be erased. He sat on the cot, wide-eyed with terror, unable to watch the same thing happen to Skye.

Spectre was a victim of the Lost Incident, Ai revealed, but one who though the Incident gave him purpose. So he joined the Hanoi to try and destroy the Cyberse and Link Vrains.

It drove Yusaku to face Spectre himself.

They were as different as night and day. And Yusaku wondered if that was how he could have turned out, if he hadn’t found Kolter three years ago. If Ai wasn’t there to keep him from falling too far into the darkness of his revenge.

He won, they won against Spectre, racing to get off the bridge before it collapsed. They didn’t make it.

Until a strange Data Storm, crackling with energy, saved them.

_Banish the darkness, Playmaker!_

The voice had Ai silent, until they found Gore facing off against Revolver.

Mirror Force. That was his ace card.

Gore stood no chance against it.

Playmaker could barely get a draw, only getting that because of Revolver not wanting to lose.

His arm burned, from where the debris had sliced it off. He could feel Ai’s coding, multiple Ignis Algorithms working quick to repair it and try to keep nerve damage from transferring to his body. Yusaku logged out, leaning heavily against Kolter and Jin.

“I know who Revolver is.” He murmured.

“Buddy… I don’t think you can fight him again, not yet.” Kolter shook his head. “That duel took a lot out of you, and you barely were able to get a draw!”

Yusaku shook his head. “I’m not using my Cyberse deck, not really.”

Kolter drove them to Stardust Road. Yusaku sat in the back with Jin and Ai, all of his cards in front of him.

“Are you sure about this?” Ai asked. “You said you didn’t wanna do it like this.”

“I have to. If we’re going to save everyone, if we’re finally getting the answers we need… I can’t afford to let fear keep me from winning.” Yusaku said determinedly.

With his new deck in his duel disk, Yusaku led the way up to the large house overlooking the ocean, Jin and Kolter following him closely.

* * *

“It was you? You were the one speaking to me during the Incident.”

Ryoken Kogami. Yusaku _knew_ him. Flashes of meeting a small boy with the same white hair, but far kinder eyes. Hearing a voice telling him to remember three reasons to make it out of the Incident alive and sane. A voice he told everything to, who didn’t yell at him like Genome, or taunt him like Faust.

Ryoken, Revolver, had been that voice.

“I’m not them. We will duel, but I won’t resort to underhanded tricks or disgusting taunting.”

Well, that was one good point for him. He treated Yusaku like a person, like an enemy of course, but like a person as well.

“I’ll save you Ryoken. From yourself.” Yusaku said as they moved the fight to Vrains.

Ai was with him all the way, even when Revolver almost had them beat. Down to their last 50 Life Points. Revolver had beaten down every attempt Playmaker made at winning.

He told them the truth.

The Ignis were born from the Incident, created using each child’s dueling to help them grow and evolve. Ignis 006, Ai, was created from Yusaku.

Ai knew part of that. Ai had _watched_ Yusaku go through the Incident. He could see Revolver was hoping it would change his mind.

But Yusaku was stubborn. If anything, the revelation made him _more_ stubborn about Ai staying by his side.

“You know _nothing_ , Revolver. So what if Ai came from the Incident. So what if your _simulations_ say the Ignis are going to destroy humanity, I know we can live together with them! Like I do now. With Ai, and Jin and Kolter and Roboppi. And I can prove that to you, we can make a better future, Revolver, all of us, together! Including you!”

“Enough!” Revolver hissed, glaring at Playmaker. “The only thing in your future is _nothing_! With this attack, I’ll end the duel!”

If he hadn’t changed his deck, Revolver’s words would have been true.

Instead, Playmaker smirked.

“Seize the wind, Playmaker!” Ai cheered, seeing the smirk on his face.

“It’s time for your own tricks to be used against you, Revolver. I activate, _Storming Mirror Force_!”

“ _What?!_ ” Revolver’s eyes widened.

“With this card, all face-up attack position monsters you control are sent back to your hand!” Playmaker said, watching all of the dragons disappear, some of their cards appearing back with Revolver while his Link monsters were sent back to the extra deck.

There was nothing he could do but to end his turn. “You only delayed the inevitable! There is nothing you can do to change your fate!”

Playmaker looked down at his hand, Ai doing the same. He realized, with a stab of fear, that Revolver could be right. If he didn’t draw the right card… it would be over. But Ai shifted, leaving the duel disk and curling around his neck, glaring at Revolver.

No, they would win. With one last draw, they would win. They had to. So, Playmaker drew.

And smirked again.

“You’re wrong, Revolver! And I’ll prove it to you, by setting the Pendulum Scale!”

“You’re doing _WHAT_?!”

“I use Shaddoll Zefranaga, and Shaddoll Zefracore, to set the Pendulum Scale.” Playmaker said, playing the two cards that appeared on either side of the field. “With their scales being one and seven, I can summon monsters level two from six from my hand to my field, or face-up pendulum monsters within the same levels to the extra monster zone!”

“I can only summon ‘Shaddoll’ or ‘Zefra’ cards however, if I Pendulum summon. So first, I’ll normal summon this, Sphere Kuriboh! And from my graveyard, I can special summon Dotscaper!”

“Then, I use my two monsters for a Link Summon.” He had one ace card that he hadn’t played, and it was the best moment to play it. “The summoning conditions are two effect monsters, I Link Summon; Decode Talker!”

His first Talker appeared on the field. “And with that, two spots on my field are now open, for me to Pendulum summon from my Extra Deck!”

“Those cards-!” Revolver looked shocked. Throughout the duel, it seemed as if Playmaker’s extra deck was receiving cards. It never crossed his mind that they could be _Pendulum_ cards.

“I summon Ritual Beast Tamer Zeframpilica, and Ritual Beast Tamer Zefrawendi! But they aren’t staying around for long.”

“Another Link Summon!”

Playmaker glared across the field at Revolver. “You thought I had nothing left, but I had just what I needed! The summoning conditions are two monsters special summoned from the Extra Deck. I Link Summon: Zefra Metaltron!”

The golden armored monster stood next to Decode Talker, both guarding Playmaker with the two Pendulum monsters on either side of him. Ai wrapped protectively around his neck.

The duel was over. Leaving Yusaku the winner. The Tower stopped, everyone returned to normal. And Yusaku watched as Ryoken escaped.

His revenge, that he worked so hard for, that led him to Kolter, and Jin and Ai, was complete.

And Yusaku… felt empty. Numb. Jin was clinging to him, Ai wrapping around both of them. Kolter watching the three of them worriedly.

It was anti-climactic in Yusaku’s mind. Even as Gore and Skye came to find them. Emma and even Zaizen showing up too. But it was _too much_. _Too much too loud too many people_.

Jin led them to a bench overlooking the ocean, where the Stardust appeared once more.

“You’re free Ai… to leave if you want.” Yusaku murmured softly, putting the chip into his duel disk as he leaned on Jin.

Ai looked surprised. “…I forgot I was even your hostage.” He admitted, looking at Yusaku and Jin. “…I want to stay. But…”

“But you need to check on your _home_.” Jin finished for him. “And your family, the other Ignis.

“Yeah. I do…” Ai shifted again, wrapping tightly around Yusaku and Jin. “But I’ll come back. With them! And we can figure out who belongs with you, Jin. So… don’t go doing anything stupid without me!”

He nuzzled them both, giving them the best kisses he could in his monster form and purring when they kissed him in return. “Yusaku, don’t forget your medicine. Especially now. I did a few upgrades of my own to Roboppi’s programing, so they can help you better. But I hear SOL Tech is coming up with prototype models of something called a SOLtiS. Maybe you should look into that. Pull the strings you got there. And Jin, listen to your doctors. Yeah you’re getting better, but that doesn’t mean you can just stop all the treatments.”

“I… I love you both.” He admitted.

“I love you too.” Yusaku didn’t hesitate in replying.

“I love you both.” Jin whispered, hugging Yusaku and Ai.

Having Ai gone left a glaring hole everywhere they went. It hurt, for three months.

Until something more painful happened

_“Yusaku! Something stole Jin’s soul and fled into Link Vrains!”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jin's been kidnapped, but that's just the start of their worries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more dialogue heavy than the last chapter, because everyone had a lot to say

Someone stole Jin’s soul, and a bounty hunter was after Ai.

Three months between Ai leaving for the Cyberse and Jin’s soul being taken had been the calmest Yusaku ever faced. There were questions of course, about what happened, about what he was going to do.

If he was okay, came the worried question from Skye and Gore, who cornered him and Jin.

“I’m fine. We’re fine.” Yusaku said. Even though he still felt a bit lost. He never let go of Jin’s hand that night. And if they both cried, no one mentioned it.

Emma was the best help, especially when word got out that Playmaker used Pendulums. Pendulums that Yusaku used. He didn’t know the duel had been filmed. But Emma saved him when everyone began to come to the truth.

“Yusaku! A _friend_ of mine wanted me to return these to you.” She said when she picked him up from school one day, giving him a wink as she handed over the Zefra cards. “They were a great help to him. Sorry he had Gore swipe them from you when that tower came up!”

Crisis averted. Everyone knew that he knew Gore, and no one made the connection that he was Playmaker. But they did ask if he knew him, which Yusaku ignored. It was still quite the buzz though, the hero of Vrains using Pendulums with Links when virtually no one else did.

Of course, that hero status didn’t last. Not with the half million bounty on his head, put there by SOL Tech. Skye had no idea why they did it, Akira not giving anything away. But he also kept Playmaker’s identity a secret from SOL’s CEO, Queen. Yusaku didn’t care. He didn’t need to be in Vrains anymore, not with the Hanoi taken care of. He stayed outside of Vrains, doing somewhat normal things.

Keeping up with his medication like he promised Ai, going to all of his appointments, school, going on _dates_ with Jin. Ones that had them both acting like shy teenagers, which, was exactly what they were. Though they both missed Ai. And after a few weeks, it felt as if something else, some _one_ else was missing.

Jin’s Ignis. They didn’t have to say it. Would his Ignis be like Ai? Different from Jin yet with some similarities? Would they want to join them like Ai did? They didn’t know, not for lack of trying to find them. Or even finding the other Lost Children.

They found one- other than Spectre- when Skye mentioned how she vaguely remembered hearing an old friend of her’s was in the hospital. Curious, she had given her name to Yusaku to look up.

Miyu Sugisaki. Age 16. At six, had gone missing for six months before being rescued from the Lost Incident.

“Aqua’s Origin.” Jin breathed out, remembering Ai mentioning how Aqua had been the only female Ignis, and that she had probably come from the only girl in the Lost Incident. But they didn’t reach out to her, not yet. Skye wanted to wait, not sure how she would react.

But it was a start.

They were searching for the other two, until Jin was attacked. But that wasn’t all Yusaku was doing. Even without Ai, Yusaku found Link Sense still working. And with it, came curiosity.

So one day, while watching another Pendulum video, he decided to try something. Thinking of how his Skill worked, and how Ai was able to generate new cards, Yusaku wondered if he could as well.

And it didn’t take long before his deck had quite a few new cards in it. Jin’s as well. All Cyberse cards, Cyberse _Pendulum_ cards for Yusaku, while Jin wanted to try out XYZ summoning. Yusaku made a few different cards requiring different summoning styles for himself as well, wanting to keep anyone who he may have to fight guessing.

He didn’t think he would have to use them so soon, however.

“Playmaker. Hand over the Ignis.”

“I don’t have time for this.” Playmaker narrowed his eyes, looking at Blood Shepherd. “I don’t _have_ an Ignis.”

“Then what do you think that thing is on your duel disk?” Blood Shepherd asked.

Playmaker grew confused. “I don’t- wha- Ai?!” He looked down, seeing Ai sheepishly waving back at him, sitting on top of a Linkuriboh.

“Hey Playmaker! So, long story-“

“We don’t have time for long stories _or_ bounty hunters. Someone’s stolen Jin’s soul!” Playmaker snapped, glaring back at Blood Shepherd.

“Someone’s _what_?!” Ai screeched as the Linkuriboh made a horrified chirping noise. “Well then, _Ai_ think a well-placed data storm will take care of one problem!” With a snap of his fingers, a large data storm separated them from Blood Shepherd.

Playmaker stood steadily on his duel board through the storm. “Don’t kill him Ai…” He murmured. “I’ll explain later. See that yellow glowing… thing? That’s what stole Jin.”

“Well then, I guess it’s up to us to win him back!” Ai announced. “And then we both got some explaining to be doin’.”

And win they did, without needing to use their Pendulum strategies, but the being- who turned out to be _human_ , or at least human-looking- got away. Bohman had escaped with Haru and Jin’s soul. Leaving two AI to try and take down Yusaku.

But he didn’t fight them alone, as a huge firestorm fired up against Ai and Yusaku’s datastorm that they had summoned to try and destroy Bit and Boot. “I can take care of these clowns. You can go after the big guy, Playmaker!” Said the unfamiliar duelist.

Playmaker narrowed his eyes. “Oh I can, can I?” He muttered. “And just who are you? Why should I trust you?”

The other duelist smirked. “The name’s Soulburner. And I think you’ll be able to trust me… when you see that _he_ trusts me.”

Soulburner lifted up his duel disk, where a somewhat familiar form sat. Playmaker’s eyes widened in surprise. “An Ignis?”

“It’s you!” Ai said happily, chirping out a name.

“Yes. But for the humans’ sake, call me Flame.” The other Ignis, Flame, said. “We can talk later. Go now! Finish your mission!”

They didn’t need told twice as Playmaker raced past Bit and Boot, trying to catch up to Bohman and Haru. But nothing worked. They couldn’t get close. It was hopeless, and Playmaker was beginning to panic. He had to get Jin back, he had to.

He screamed when Bohman and Haru disappeared into an open network portal. One that shut right behind them.

“Playmaker!” Ai pulled himself fully from the duel disk, shifting into his larger form and wrapping around Playmaker as he fell to his hands and knees on his duel board. “Yusaku… we’ll get him back. I promise we will.”

_“Ai? Is that you? Where’s Yusaku and Jin?”_

Ai blinked in surprise, hearing Kolter for the first time. “Bohman must’ve been jamming communication signals… I got Yusaku here, Kolter. But… Jin isn’t back yet.”

 _“…I’m logging you and Yusaku out. Yusaku. This is_ not _your fault buddy. I’m not mad at you. I’ll be at your place in 10.”_ Kolter said reassuringly as he set the logout code.

Yusaku stumbled out of the VR room in his apartment, grateful that Jin had convinced him to set up a table next to the room.

It had everything that could possibly be needed, on the off chance Yusaku ever had to go into Vrains again, for recovery from a forced logout. Those always left Yusaku feeling sick and shaky. Luckily, a trash can was one of the things next to the table as Yusaku got sick into it, barely registering the warm appendage rubbing his back, Ai looming over him protectively. Ai’s hold on him tightened slightly when he heard the door to the apartment open, loosening when Kolter came running down.

“Yusaku!” The answer to the call was a shaking sob that Yusaku tried to bite back as he rested against the wall, panting slightly and feeling even worse after getting sick. “Hey kiddo, it’s alright. I’m here.”

Between Kolter and Ai, Yusaku was easy to get cleaned up. At least, when Ai wasn’t trying to smother him with as much affection as he could. But Yusaku just felt horribly numb. Unable to speak, hands shaking too much to even sign.

Luckily Kolter and Ai knew him so well. A quick wash of his face, a change of clothes, and he was bundled up in bed, Ai and a blanket wrapped securely around him. Roboppi was sitting with him as well, and the newest episode of Pendulum dueling playing on his tablet.

“Okay, you first Ai. What happened? I thought you went back to the Cyberse?” Kolter asked, sitting next to the curled up form on the bed.

“I did.” Ai nodded, laying his head down on top of Yusaku’s. “…It was destroyed. Everything was _gone_. I don’t know how! I hid it! But all I found was Linky there.” He nodded to the Linkuriboh sitting worriedly on Yusaku’s duel disk.

“I guess at least some of the other Ignis made it out though, this guy named Soulburner showed up to help us out and he had the Fire Ignis with him, he’s going by Flame now. So how about you start with Jin’s soul being taken? And maybe why Yusaku sounded a bit concerned when I used a data storm to stop Blood Shepherd?”

“Well, actually that last thing is-“ Kolter cut off as his phone began to ring. “Getting answered now. Emma? You’re on speaker.”

“What was Yuskau doing back in Link Vrains?! I _told_ you it wasn’t safe!” Emma scolded. “Cal, Kengo isn’t too happy about his nephew being there, you know he doesn’t want to fight him!”

Ai blinked in surprise. “ _Nephew_?! But you don’t got any other siblings!” He looked at Kolter. “And last I checked, Emma was an only child.”

Yusaku shook his head in response to that. It had been two months ago, when someone new began to come around the hot dog truck. But only if Emma was helping out. Of course, that had made everyone immediately suspicious. Unfortunately, they could find nothing on the pink-haired stranger. He seemed harmless though. He wasn’t stalking Emma or flirting with her, and every look Yusaku and Jin gave him was met with a odd sort of fondness, and even once, a pat on the head for both of them when they were sitting outside the truck under the awning.

He didn’t like how confusing this stranger was, and Jin whined about it to Kolter. Until the next time he showed up, giving Emma something that looked like important documents. Yusaku wondered when if he was another information gatherer like she was.

Until Emma was sobbing, hurrying out of the truck and wrapping her arms around the stranger, who finally gave them his name. Kengo Dojun, otherwise known as the bounty hunter Blood Shepherd. More than that though, he was Emma’s half-brother.

It was another change that Yusaku and Jin had to get used to, fortunately, Kengo made it easy. He was laidback outside of his work, and more than willing to get to know the family Emma had for herself. Even though he had to keep up appearances and work as a bounty hunter. But that part caught Yusaku’s interest. He had been restless, ever since Ai left and his revenge was complete. And hearing the stories Kengo had, plus Emma’s stories of adventuring during her information gathering and her own time as a bounty hunter had him wondering what it would be like for himself.

So it had been one more thing taking up his time. Between school, helping at Café Nagi, dates with Jin, and hanging out with Skye and Gore, he would learn about being a bounty hunter. And Kengo reassured him that it was completely possible when Yusaku voiced his reservations about being able to.

_“So long as you can keep a level head when you hunt down your target, I see no reason why you should think anything about you will hold you back.”_

Of course, he wasn’t too happy to hear about Yusaku being so close to an AI, after they told him about the Ignis. But when the bounty was put on Playmaker’s head to try and capture him and Ai, Kengo immediately joined the team, as did Gore. Neither were going to allow SOL Tech to capture them.

“Glad you called when you did Emma, it saves me the trouble of explaining things twice.” Kolter frowned. “Yusaku was in Vrains because someone stole Jin’s soul and took it there.”

“ _What_?!- Kengo _drive_ don’t slam on the breaks like that!” Yusaku’s attention turned towards Kolter’s phone when they could hear the screeching of tires. “Jin’s been- did you find him?”

“No. The people who took him got away and Yusaku was getting upset, I wasn’t going to let him stay in Vrains any longer.” Kolter explained. “Sorry Kengo, but Yusaku’s the best duelist on the team, I had to let him go.”

They heard a sigh from Emma’s end of the call. “Keep him _home_ next time. SOL Tech isn’t playing around. Queen wants the Ignis for some reason, and I’m not sure why. And _why_ does Yusaku have that Ignis _again_?”

“Hey! I’m not just any Ignis! I’m _his_ Ignis. _And_ his and Jin’s _boyfriend_.” Ai retorted, yelping when Kolter flicked him.

“You talk too much.” Kolter retorted, hearing Emma yelling at Kengo for his driving again. “We’re at Yusaku’s place. Come here and I’ll explain. But _no fighting_. It’s a red day.”

Colors were code. Red days were some of the worst days, but Yusaku couldn’t bring himself to protest the color. It was one of the worst days. Jin was _gone_ and, even though Ai was back, he could still feel Jin missing.

While Kolter explained things to Emma and Kengo, with someone petting Yusaku’s hair, he couldn’t tell who, Yusaku tried to reach out with Link Sense.

He was connected to the network, that’s what Ai said when he explained Link Sense. He could feel the network, he could control data storms, he could make cards from the Cyberse. So then… why wouldn’t the Sense work in finding Jin?

* * *

Their first time in Vrains, though Yusaku avoided the main part like the plague, was two weeks after Ai left.

Emma had a few backdoor passes into private servers linked to Vrains, and happily used one to allow Jin to visit the network for the first time. He and Yusaku had stayed up late one night, when insomnia kept them both from sleeping, creating his avatar.

He wanted simple, similar to Unnamed, but he wanted mysterious, similar to Playmaker and Ghost Gal. He kept his hair the same color, but made it shorter. An outfit similar to Playmaker’s, but colored black, white, gold, and purple. Golden lines that would light up if he dueled, shifting color depending on what sort of summoning he did.

And a cloak to hide it all. A brilliant white color, and styled the way Ai always joked about styling a cloak for himself. Almost military-like. Jin laughed when he appeared in the hidden server. But he wasn’t Jin then.

_“Lightshadow. You can’t have one without the other. Light always brings on shadows, and shadows are always around for the light. Just like the two of us! We’re always there for each other now. No matter what.”_

Yusaku would always be there for Jin. No matter what.

Even when someone new tried to get too close too quickly.

“Takeru, you are crowding him. And it’s clear that Yusaku doesn’t like to be crowded.”

“Ah! S-sorry. I mean… I just wanted to talk.”

Flame and Takeru, also known as Soulburner. Flame had sent a message to Ai, telling him to bring Yusaku and Skye up to the roof during lunch. And Ai made sure to tell Kolter that Yusaku would be a bit late in getting out of school that day.

“How can we trust you?” Skye asked defensively, standing firm next to Yusaku. “You have an Ignis, but anyone could easily steal one as a hostage.”

“I’m proof!” Ai said helpfully.

“And the Cyberse was attacked, how do we know you didn’t reprogram that one when _you_ attacked it?”

Yusaku looked at Skye. He wasn’t worried, not for her anyway.

He had seen many sparring matches between her and Gore, when he wanted to teach them self-defense. It was useful, and Kolter and Akira both readily agreed. Until they saw, two lessons in, Skye take down Gore easily. She filled the time she spent outside of Vrains with training herself, Skye revealed.

A substitution for Akira always working. A deadly substitution, if Takeru had anything to do with Jin disappearing, Yusaku had no doubt in his mind that Skye would make him regret it.

“It isn’t that simple to hack into an Ignis.” Flame scoffed. “I’m not as weak as Ai.”

“Maybe you’ll trust me more if I show you this?” Takeru moved the shoulder of his jacket and shirt.

On his shoulder was a scar that was all too familiar to Yusaku. Like a lightning strike caught on camera and tattooed onto Takeru’s skin. Yusaku had many that looked just like it.

“Electrocution marks… from the Lost Incident. I remember the white walls, and writing on them. IGN004.” Takeru explained. “Flame is _my_ Ignis. The way that Ai is Yusaku’s.”

The way Flame seemed to soften more at that admission made Yusaku realize just how much Takeru meant that.

“I was IGN006.” Yusaku whispered. “And… Jin was IGN001.”

“Jin? You mentioned him when you were fighting Bohman, so he’s part of the Lost Incident too?” Takeru asked.

Yusaku nodded. “One of the six children who were kidnapped, Kolter’s younger brother.”

“ _And_ our boyfriend.” Ai added. “Yes, _our_. And we’re gonna get him back!”

“Are you sure it’s good to have Ai back? We could always hand him over to Akira.” Skye offered.

They continue talking with Takeru until lunch is over. And if he found it odd that Yusaku left school after lunch, he didn’t comment on it, not until Skye brought him to the hot dog truck once their classes are over.

“They looked for quiet kids. Ones people probably… wouldn’t notice were missing.” Takeru said. “That’s what I got.”

“I thought… they targeted kids who had mental illnesses.” Yusaku told him, trying not to fidget in his seat. It too everything he had to keep his leg from bouncing nervously. “Jin and I are autistic. And…”

Takeru shook his head when Yusaku looked at him. “I’m not. I think the police thought that too, so I was tested for it by the psychiatrist, but I just had bad anxiety issues when I was younger, and after the Incident, I added on depression and anger issues. They bounced around the bipolar diagnosis a lot, but nothing ever official. And from what I researched about it, it doesn’t fit me.”

“But I’m on medicine now for all of that, and it works!” He smiled, but Yusaku could see he was just as anxious as Yusaku felt. Talking about the Incident was never something easy. “Okay, it _usually_ works. Vrains helps a lot. I don’t have to be _me_ there. So, I’m glad Flame convinced me to come and find you.”

“And now… we have three things we need to do.” Yusaku held up three fingers. “One, we must get Jin back, no matter what. Two, we have to find the remaining Ignis. Three, we have to stop not only SOL Tech, but whoever stole Jin as well.”

Takeru agreed readily, but not without another question for Yusaku.

“…Do you really use Pendulums?”

* * *

“Zefra Metaltron! Attack his life points directly!”

The bounty hunters were relentless, but Playmaker was stubborn. And it seemed no one knew just how to counter his blended deck still.

“We have to find where that signal was coming from.” Soulburner rode on his duel board next to Playmaker, Blue Gal and Ghost Gal just behind them.

It had been three in the morning when Yusaku woke, Link Sense alerting him to something before the screens in the truck could even light up with a message. One written using an Ignis Algorithm.

So as soon as they had cloaking devices from Emma, Yusaku and Takeru had gone into Link Vrains. Skye and Emma joining them, with Akira thinking they were there to just track Playmaker and Soulburner.

“Ready?” Soulburner grinned. It was finally time to lose the bots SOL Tech had sent to trace their locations.

Playmaker nodded, circling back with Soulburner to ride behind Blue Gal and Ghost Gal. “Generating Data Storm!” He and Ai said.

“Generating Fire Storm!” Soulburner and Flame called out, the two storms appearing and clashing against each other, ripping apart the security bots sent after them.

“Nice job.” Ghost Gal complimented as Playmaker and Soulburner flew to catch up to them. “So, what was that message again?”

“It was from one of the Ignis. But I don’t know which one.” Playmaker explained. “It seemed as though they needed our help, however.”

He was right, though Playmaker wished he hadn’t been right. Seeing a light green with darker accents monster going insane was enough to shake all six of them.

“Windy!” Ai cried out. The Wind Ignis, stuck in a larger tentacle form than even what Playmaker had seen Ai as, trapped by a virus that was slowly corrupting all of his coding, driving him insane. But Playmaker could see the fear in his large eye.

Windy needed their help. But they were helpless, even with Ai and Flame both shifting to try and subdue Windy, he shook them off like they were nothing. It was impossible to even attempt to give Windy any antivirus that could possibly help.

He was going to fail in saving someone again. He was going to lose…

_Focus, Playmaker!_

That voice!

_You have what you need to save Windy!_

Of course.

“Emma! Your duel disk!” Ghost Gal could handle the monster better than Blue Gal, she had seen plenty of things during her time as a bounty hunter.

And if Yusaku could trap Ai in his duel disk, why couldn’t they trap Windy?

He linked his duel disk to Ghost Gal’s, letting Soulburner and Blue Gal handle distracting Windy as he transferred over the data he had used to capture Ai. “Kolter, I need you to change the pathway program into a capture net.” He said. “We found the Wind Ignis but he’s being destroyed by a virus, we have to capture him!”

_“I’m on it Yusaku!”_

The program was in place, Ghost Gal moving up to a higher vantage point in the rubble around them. “Hold on Wind Ignis, we’ll save you!” She said, catching his attention.

And falling when the monster’s long tail slapped her away before she could activate the program.

“No!” Blue Gal gasped, sighing in relief when the emergency logout program took Ghost Gal out only seconds before she would fall to hard on the ground. “Playmaker, what do we do now?”

“We still have to capture the Wind Ignis.” Playmaker said determinedly. He still had the program.

Ai would just have to get used to having a roommate.

But he stopped before trying. What if the virus transferred to Ai? What if they weren’t able to stop it in time? What if it was too late?

He didn’t see Windy charging at him until it _was_ too late, the monster’s mouth opened, ready to swallow Playmaker whole.

“Yusaku!” Ai shrieked.

“Playmaker!” Soulburner and Blue Gal were running towards him. None of them would make it in time.

It was too late.

_“Hey!”_

Playmaker looked surprised at the arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him out of the way of Windy just in time. The monster Ignis crashing into the ground as a large orange monster slammed its head down, shutting Windy’s mouth and forcing him to be still.

“What the hell were you thinking, Yusaku?”

“Ryoken!” Playmaker gasped, staring up at the person who saved him.

He looked similar to Revolver, but had Ryoken’s familiar white hair, with red instead of purple. His mask was more open, revealing familiar blue eyes. Even his stance had changed to a much more relaxed one.

Revolver smirked. “Spectre? Handle the Wind Ignis.”

“Gladly, Master Revolver.” Spectre’s avatar hadn’t changed. Except for the orange figure attached to his duel disk.

Playmaker’s eyes widened as Ai curled around him. “Another Ignis?”

One that was _alive_ in the hands of the _Hanoi_. He was immediately on edge. “What are you doing with an Ignis, Revolver?” He demanded.

“Can we have this conversation when we don’t have the Wind Ignis going wild? Let Spectre and Earth tire him out. Do you have a plan after that?”

“We were going to capture him in Ghost Gal’s duel disk.” Playmaker said.

Revolver looked around, not seeing her anywhere. “Then they’ll come with me.” He said, watching as Flame joined in the attack again, working to tire Windy out quicker, before the virus could do more damage.

And once Windy stumbled, Revolver moved in. Trapping Windy and himself in an artificial data storm.

When it disappeared, only Revolver was left.

“Hand him over, Revolver!” Blue Gal demanded, marching over to Playmaker to make sure he was alright. “Give us that Ignis!”

“You can’t control him.” Revolver said, looking at his duel disk as it shook. “Meet us at Stardust Road. We can decide what to do with him from there. As you can see,” he gestured to Spectre and the Ignis in his duel disk, “we aren’t killing the Ignis.”

“You can trust him,” the Ignis said two names that had Blue Gal covering her ears. “…Apologies. I forgot some humans can be sensitive to that.”

“They’re okay. But what about you?!” Ai asked. “And we’re going by Ai and Flame now, to make things easier.” He added.

“My name is Earth.” Earth replied. “And it is true, the Hanoi are not trying to kill us. For now, anyway.”

“ _For now_.” Blue Gal repeated.

“Just meet us. We can explain everything.” Revolver said, looking at the group, but staring at Playmaker once his eyes landed on him. “We have a common enemy here. Whoever, or whatever, took Jin Kolter.”

* * *

That was all it took for Yusaku to agree to the meeting. Kolter drove them there, Gore and Kengo meeting them there.

He stayed close to Kolter, watching warily as Ryoken came off of the yacht docked at Stardust Road, followed closely by Spectre and two of the other Knights of Hanoi. Clarissa and Aso stood on either side of Ryoken, the leader’s duel disk held in Clarissa’s hands.

“Alright. We’re here. Now hand over the Ignis.” Kolter narrowed his eyes, glaring at Ryoken.

“Unfortunately, I cannot do that with Windy.” Ryoken shook his head. “That is another reason why I wanted to meet, with you and Yusaku especially.”

He held up two chips that could plug into older duel disk models. “These are anti-virus software I’ve been working on. We caught wind of an anomaly chasing after Earth.”

“Was that a pun?” Takeru whispered.

“And I made this after he found his way to Spectre and we isolated the virus.” Ryoken explained. “You saw what it did to Windy. If we hand him to you now, the virus will infect the Fire and Dark Ingis as soon as it can reach your duel disks.”

“How about you start with how Earth came to be with you?” Yusaku said, looking from the chips back up to Ryoken.

Earth appeared from Spectre’s duel disk, facing the group. “Why would I not be with my Origin? I would love the chance to get to know him.”

He had fled the Cyberse when it was attacked, finding Spectre soon after. Earth had been wary at first, finding himself right in the heart of the new Hanoi base, but Spectre had been curious about him. The other Lost Child had hid Earth for a month before revealing to Ryoken that he had his Ignis with him.

And hearing that something more powerful had attacked the Cyberse caught Ryoken’s attention long enough for him to decide to not just kill the Ignis. He knew Earth belonged with Spectre, having all of his father’s notes. Earth was Spectre’s Ignis and it grew clear to him that Spectre wanted to get to know Earth. So the Ignis had stayed, helping the Hanoi try and track down what had attacked the Cyberse when they found that Jin had been kidnapped, and Windy had been attacked.

“What about the other two?” Ai asked worriedly.

“Aqua and Lightning?” Earth shook his head sadly. “I haven’t found them. But I do see that you two have found your Origins.”

“Yes, and we’ve found Aqua’s Origin, Skye’s friend Miyu.” Yusaku was still wary, staying close between Kolter and Kengo. “Which means… either Windy or Lightning belong with Jin.”

Ryoken shook his head, raising a hand to get the three scientists to take a step back, seeing how Yusaku was acting. “Windy’s Origin… is hospitalized. Permanently.” He admitted. “Something happened after the Incident, I believe four years ago. It may have been caused by the same virus causing Windy to go mad, I do not now how long the virus has been around.”

“So he’s…” Kolter trailed off.

“Medically induced coma for now but…” He nodded to Yusaku. “Three of the children had autism. Whatever affected this child, they suspect reacts to _humans_ on a genetic level. There’s… no telling how Yusaku or Jin would react. Or how the other three Lost would react if they have any mental disorders.”

“This may be a large issue if whoever took Jin Kolter is also responsible for what happened to Windy and his Origin. Which is why I wanted to meet here after capturing the Wind Ignis.”

They had a common enemy, Yusaku realized, though he wasn’t sure _how_ they had a common enemy. Something that wanted to destroy the Ignis seemed like something Ryoken and the Hanoi would like. Even if he was working together with Earth now, who was currently talking with Flame, the two at one of the tables outside with Spectre, Takeru, Genome, Emma, and Gore.

The truck felt too crowded to Yusaku. With himself, Kolter, Ryoken, Clarissa, Aso, Kengo, and Skye inside. Ai stayed with Yusaku, wrapping around him protectively and laying his head on his Origin’s shoulder.

“So, why are you helping us with this, anyway?” Kolter asked, bringing up the computer monitors. “Yusaku, headphones.”

A way to ignore most of what was going on, but still being able to hear most of what was said. It would distract him from not only how crowded it was, but from who was in the truck with them. He put in the earbuds, looking at Ryoken’s duel disk, where Windy was contained.

“We’ve… had time to think things over.” Ryoken explained. “Speaking with Earth helped that. Fascinating, how someone so calm could come from Spectre.”

“No shit.” Kolter muttered.

“But we have put those plans on hold. Unless this is being done by an Ignis.”

Yusaku looked at his duel disk. Could it be one of the missing Ignis doing everything? There were only two missing. Aqua, Miyu’s Ignis. And… Jin’s Ignis.

Lightning.

“It’s not an Ignis.” Yusaku shook his head. He had a feeling, his Sense, that said it wasn’t.

That Aqua was probably in hiding. And Lightning, may be attempting his own rescue of Jin as well.

“Back… after I defeated Spectre, the bridge collapsed.” Yusaku explained softly, focusing his eyes on just Kolter as everyone looked at him. “I thought we were going to be deleted. But a Data Storm saved me and Ai. And… someone said for me to ‘banish the darkness’, the same way Ai says ‘seize the wind’ when my Speed Duel Skill activates. I think it was another Ignis.”

“Lightning.” Ai nodded quickly. “I knew that voice! It had to be him!”

“Why would Lightning help us, then kidnap Jin like this?” Yusaku pointed out. “And… when we were trying to catch Windy… I heard the same voice again, telling me I already had the tools we needed to catch him, the program I used to trap Ai in my duel disk. We just had to adjust the system from a pathway to a net.”

“So the Light Ignis is nearby then.” Aso said, adding the anti-virus to Kolter’s computer system. “But he hasn’t been seen.”

“He might not be nearby.” Ai said. “We can send messages to each other sometimes.”

Ryoken hummed. “Messages that Yusaku can hear?”

Yusaku wasn’t sure what the Hanoi knew of his Link Sense. And he was in no hurry to tell them about it. “I was Playmaker both times. It’s possible he hacked into my communication channel with Kolter.” He replied.

“…Perhaps.” Ryoken let the subject drop easily enough.

They worked on the anti-virus for a few hours, keeping to two separate groups and keeping Windy locked inside of Ryoken’s duel disk. Yusaku refused to be near any of the Knights of Hanoi, even as Spectre brought Earth in to talk to Ai, trading places with Clarissa. It was nice to meet another one of the Ignis, and Yusaku smiled softly, seeing how relaxed Ai was to have finally found another member of his family.

“So you really don’t know where Aqua is? You two were _super_ close.” Ai teased.

“No… we were separated when the Cyberse was attacked.” Earth admitted. “I do wish to find her soon though.”

Things went smoothly, until another issue came up. Lunch.

Kolter has no issue cooking up hotdogs for everyone, with the work going slow as Windy began to wake up and fight against the restraints they put him in, hot dogs were the easiest thing to eat that didn’t take long or required anyone leaving. They could continue to work while the hot dogs cooked.

But while cooking was the easy part, eating was hard.

Yusaku refused to eat, while Takeru scarfed down two hot dogs like he had never eaten anything before in his life, leaving him curled up in the front of the truck, his stomach in pain from how quick he ate. Flame was up with him, wrapped around Takeru protectively.

“You gotta eat, Yusaku.” Ai told him. Yusaku shook his head.

He couldn’t bring himself to eat, not around the three scientists who wee part of the Lost Incident.

He remembered, in the back of his mind, how Genome would tease the six of them with food, how Faust would tell them there wouldn’t be any food after a loss.

What if food was taken away from him again? He could eat it quickly, but his stomach was even weaker than Takeru’s. It would make him sick. But nothing could be taken away if he just didn’t eat.

Except if they refused to eat out of protest, then Baira would come in and put them on an IV to make sure they stayed hydrated at least. But Yusaku hated needles, not that any of them had cared.

None of them had ever cared. And Yusaku had just grown more and more defensive and upset the more he was around them. He wanted to hide, but the VR room would be too claustrophobic, and that creep Genome was outside. But everyone was _looking at him_ inside and he couldn’t eat with people watching. He had to be strong and not run away from it all.

He was going to have a panic attack.

Over food.

Something that hadn’t happened since he told Kolter everything. Yusaku could finally eat around other people after that, even if it was just Kolter and Jin at first.

But memories were coming up, and threatening to take over.

“Hey.”

Until they stopped completely, a hand coming to rest over his eyes. He heard Ai hiss and knew exactly who was standing in front of him.

“Three things. You’re not there anymore. You’re not alone. You can eat.”

A hand came to touch his shoulder, and Yusaku lashed out, hearing a crunching noise and someone hissing in pain.

“Well Faust I can’t say you didn’t deserve that.” Spectre said dryly. “Yes, let’s touch the child in the middle of a panic attack. Even I know that’s a bad idea for anyone except Master Ryoken and the hot dog man.”

“I do have a name you know.” Kolter crouched down next to Yusaku, wrapping his coat around him. “Everyone out. Ignis and Revolver can stay. But everyone else needs to wait outside.”

Yusaku’s hand stung from punching Faust, though there was some satisfaction in knowing he punched him and not someone he actually cared about. He could feel Ai wrapping around him, removing Ryoken’s hand from over his eyes and replacing it with a flat tentacle to block out the light better. “Everyone leave so Yusaku can actually eat something before his blood sugar drops any more into the danger zone. Thanks to you pricks…”

It took some time to calm Yusaku down, with Ai wrapped around him and Ryoken and Kolter on either side of him. “Yusaku? Here.” Ryoken held up his phone, showing an older episode of Pendulum dueling. “Remember this one?”

“…The…” _The one I showed you_. He sighed shakily.

“Yeah. Back when we were younger. You said, before the Incident, that you wanted to bring more Pendulums to Link dueling. Because of these. And you did it, you did what some people thought impossible.” Ryoken smiled softly. “Even though we fought on separate sides, I remembered you saying that. And I couldn’t help but feel proud that you accomplished that goal you had.”

Yusaku leaned over, laying his head on Ryoken’s shoulder as he watched the episode on the other’s phone.

He remembered that, vaguely. His memories were still a jumbled mess from before the Incident, but he did remember spending a day with Ryoken. Showing him the Pendulum duels, confessing how much he loved seeing them and how he wanted to find a way to use a Pendulum deck even with Link rules.

They sat just like they were that day, Yusaku calming down from the panic and closing his eyes. “I called you my soulmate…” He murmured, slightly embarrassed by it.

“You did.” Ryoken chuckled. “And I think we may be. Soulmates can be platonic, after all. I doubt Jin Kolter or your Ignis would like us to be romantic. I know Spectre would not agree to it.” He teased lightly, grabbing the small bag of chips that had been on Yusaku’s plate.

Eating was easier then, Ryoken distracted Yusaku, sneakily getting him to eat a few of the chips as he told Yusaku and Kolter everything he remembered about that day. “It was a pretty fun day. But… we know what it led to.”

Yusaku was saved from adding to the conversation by Ryoken’s duel disk activating. “The anti-virus is working on Windy, he’s practically clinging to it. That’s a good sign, it means he hasn’t been corrupted fully by the virus.”

The three of them, plus Ai, Earth, and Flame- the latter two had moved in to Kolter and Yusaku’s duel disks with Flame sharing space with Ai- watched as Ryoken’s duel disk began to glow red.

“Is that supposed to happen?” Ai asked.

“While the anti-virus helps fight off the glitches yes.” Ryoken murmured, grimacing when the duel disk shocked him. “Move Yusaku away!”

Ai didn’t need to be told twice, curling tightly around Yusaku and moving him away from Ryoken. “Come on Windy…”

Thirty minutes later, and Ryoken’s duel disk went dark. They were beginning to give up hope, before a light green glow came from the screen.

“Ugh… Wh-what…” A light green eye with darker accents looked around slowly from the duel disk. “Guys…?”

“Windy!” Ai and Flame said, Flame moving back to Takeru’s duel disk as he came in with Spectre, Earth moving back to his Origin as well.

“Me? I guess humans can’t understand-“ He chirped out his name, the noise sounding softer than the others’ names. Like a soft breeze. “Windy works… is that corrupted data gone?”

“It is.” Ryoken nodded, hooking up his duel disk to his laptop. “The anti-virus software worked. You’re going to feel, well, humans would describe the feeling as being stoned, for a while though.”

“I feel sluggish. I don’t like it.” Windy admitted. “Wait, what about the others?!” He pulled himself up from the duel disk, looking worriedly at Ai. “Did you find them yet? Where are they?!”

Ai shook his head sadly. “Aqua and Lightning are both still missing. But we think Lightning is nearby. He’s been talking to us sometimes.”

“You have to help him!” Windy said quickly, trying to shake of the sluggish feeling. “He’s been captured!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's full AU! Earth was able to find Spectre, Ryoken has Windy, I haven't seen all of Vrains so I have no clue how Skye gets Aqua, but hey! We'll figure that out as we go along.
> 
> And Yusaku got mini-revenge by breaking Faust's nose. Because those scientists got off way too lightly imo.
> 
> Kengo also likes being an uncle. And Bounty Hunter!Playmaker needs to be a thing. It just needs to be!

**Author's Note:**

> Gymnophobia: Fear of nudity. It can be of seeing people naked, of being naked yourself, or both. Let me tell you, from personal experience of having the second part of that… it’s hell. Combine it with other mental issues, and you have the seventh layer of hell.
> 
> And now Yusaku has a Zefra pendulum deck. And this is AU from Yusaku meeting Kolter on, Lightning was never a huge douche, Ai never went off the deep end, somehow this turned into a Yusaku/Jin/Ai/Lightning thing. But that’s minor.


End file.
